How many people does it take to start a revolution?

Sep 16, 2026 5 min

About this episode

Picture a packed football stadium. One fan stands up, hoping to start a Mexican wave. Nothing happens. Ten people join in? Still nothing. Twenty? No. But once around thirty people rise together, the wave spreads through the crowd. Physicists have studied this phenomenon in stadiums around the world and found a surprisingly consistent pattern: it takes about thirty people to get a wave going. That's known as a critical mass, the minimum number of people needed for collective behaviour to take hold. Could the same idea apply to something far more consequential, like a protest movement or even a revolution? So where's the tipping point? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen to the latest episodes, click here: ⁠What is eco-anxiety?⁠ ⁠How can I keep my exercise eco-friendly?⁠ ⁠What is ecological debt?⁠ A Bababam Originals podcast written and realised by Amber Minogue. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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